7 Foods to Remove From the Fridge Forever

The first step in eating better is exactly the same as the first step in dressing better: Go home and toss out the stuff that doesn’t make you look good.

Most of us have closets filled with poorly fitting, out-of-style clothes we cling to. And most of us have kitchens that are crowded with junk—foods that seem healthy, but don’t pull their weight. And they’re making you gain weight, elbowing out healthier products that ought to be there.

So the next step in your weight-loss quest is easy: Stop filling the pantry with these nutritional slackers. And start with the fish.  

TOSS THIS! #7

Wraps

If you think these flimsy blankets of carbohydrates are better for you than bread, you’re not alone; they’re so thin and harmless looking! But wraps are easy to roll because they’re often loaded with oils to make them pliable. A Mission Multi-Grain wrap, for example, starts your sandwich off with 210 calories, before you add even a bite of meat.

Eat This Instead: Restock your shelves with whole grain, high fructose corn syrup-free bread like Pepperidge Farm 15 Grain. Or if you really want a wrap, grab our go-to: La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious SoftWraps MultiGrain. You’ll save 130 calories if you swap it in for the Mission wrap—that’s enough to drop more than 12 pounds this year!

Don’t be duped by false nutrition claims! Discover the truth about kale, eggs and “healthy” carbs—everything you need to know to eat right for weight loss.

TOSS THIS! #6

Grandma’s Jam

We want to believe that jar of overpriced spread we bought at Ye Olde Gift Shoppe has some health benefits. It’s made from black raspberries! And it cost 7 freakin’ dollars! But in the end it’s just some chunks of fruit smothered in sugar and juice. Two tablespoons carry nearly 20 grams of sugar; you’d get less if you made a sandwich with a dozen Nilla Wafers jammed inside.

Eat This Instead: You can get almost the same flavor and texture by mashing up blackberries, raspberries or slices of banana and spreading them on your sandwich—¼ cup of blackberries is just 15 calories, while the same amount of blackberry jam is 120. Saving 105 calories every day is enough to lose nearly a pound a month! . If you’re really stuck on the spread, look for a jar that boasts more fruit than refined sugar, such as Polaner All Fruit with Fiber Black Cherry or Smucker’s Simply Fruit Orange Marmalade Spreadable Fruit.

TOSS THIS! #5

Canned Vegetables

Whaaaat!?? Most of us eat only about 1/3 of our daily recommended intake of vegetables, so you may be surprised to hear us knock any form of produce. But while fresh vegetables may be critical in lowering your blood pressure, canned vegetables can raise it significantly. And it’s not just because canned goods have added salt. Many food cans are lined with BPA, a plastic-based chemical that was originally invented as a form of estrogen therapy; the chemical leaches into foods, including canned vegetables. (You can check the manufacturer’s website to see which ones.) A new study found that consuming food stored in BPA-lined containers raises blood pressure almost immediately upon serving.

Eat This Instead: Go with fresh veggies instead—or you can find some of the cheapest and most nutritious produce just a few aisles along, in the freezer. In fact, a study by the University of Georgia found that amounts of vitamin A, C and folate in frozen vegetables are sometimes even greater than their fresh counterparts.  

TOSS THIS! #4

Diet Soda  

Eat This, Not That! has told you to toss diet soda for years, and we’re not alone. “Soda, both diet and regular, have absolutely no nutritional benefits and may even have serious health implications,” says Gina Consalvo, MA, RD, LDN, a Pennsylvania-based registered dietitian. “Not only are they loaded with empty calories, harmful preservatives, sugar or artificial sweeteners, they also have dangerous artificial coloring derived from coal-tar. The coloring has been linked to allergic reactions, fatigue, asthma, skin rashes, hyperactivity, headaches and even cancer.” Okay, so, just checking, that’s a “no” on the soda, right?

Drink This Instead: Try mixing seltzer with a splash of grape or cranberry juice. Or make a pitcher of homemade iced tea—not the sugary stuff in a can—and blast belly fat.

TOSS THIS! #3

Non-Dairy Creamer

“Non-dairy creamer.” That must be healthier than full-fat cream, right? Maybe, if you mix it with a little water and spread it on your nose before you take your position on the lifeguard chair. Like sunblock, coffee creamer contains titanium dioxide, a food additive shown to cause liver damage in mice; its safety for use in human foods was last reviewed in 1969. Creamers also contain partially hydrogenated oils (trans fat), artificial sweeteners, carrageenan, artificial coloring and other harmful additives.  

Eat This Instead: Give your coffee extra body with a splash of almond milk instead. If you’re really addicted to a sweet sip in the morning, opt for Sugar in the Raw or a touch of agave.

TOSS THIS! #2

Wheat Bread

Unless you’re a religious reader of labels, you may be stunned to discover that what’s marketed as “wheat” bread is identical to white bread—with a little molasses thrown in for color. Whether you’re talking breads, bagels, English muffins or any other kind of breakfast bread, refined white-flour foods like these are linked to weight gain, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. When it comes to breads, think fiber, fiber, fiber—and read the labels.

Eat This Instead: Research confirms that eating whole grains can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and hypertension. So after you toss out the junk, replace it with organic whole grain breads like Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Bread Sesame and Pepperidge Farm 100% Whole Wheat Mini Bagels.

TOSS THIS! #1

White Rice and Pasta

Rice and pasta are getaway drivers for a lot of nutritional crimes—they transport fat, sugar and salt around town, helping them wreak havoc. Ditch the white stuff and swap in whole grain pasta and brown rice; it’s like taking your foot off the accelerator. The fiber in whole grains slows the passage of food through your system, keeping you fuller longer, reducing insulin spikes and giving you a dose of healthy fiber.

Eat This Instead: Look for brown and wild rice and whole-grain pastas that are free of any ingredients you can’t pronounce. We like Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Grain Spaghetti and Barilla Whole Grain Linguine.